Gps tracking system

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates a GPS tracking system, comprising a tracking and positioning device, a server, a positioning display unit, and a database. Since the tracking and positioning device only sends an Internet protocol (IP) data and a verification data once when it is connected to the Internet, and sends a positioning data only when a position of the tracking and positioning device is to be shown on the positioning display unit, the bandwidth can be saved.

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to a GPS tracking system and,more particularly, to a GPS tracking system having a tracking andpositioning device that only sends an Internet protocol (IP) data and averification data once when it is connected to the Internet, and sends apositioning data only when a position of the tracking and positioningdevice is to be shown on the positioning display unit.

2. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Concerning data exchange applications, the conventional mobile device isgenerally a slave device that uploads data to a remote server ordownloads data from a remote server. Such a mobile device is suitablefor use in applications where the mobile device is used as a masterdevice because the data uploaded or downloaded by the mobile devices isnecessary. Moreover, the connection fee can be self-determined.

However, if the mobile device is used as an information provider, athird-party server with the public IP is required as a relay to uploadinformation from the mobile device to a user requesting the informationbecause the user cannot be directly connected to the mobile device withthe private IP, as shown in FIG. 1.

In order for the user to acquire the real-time information at the mobiledevice end on the positioning display unit, the mobile devices (such asa tracking and positioning device) is required to continuously providethe third-party server with information, which leads to a heavy load atthe mobile device end. Firstly, a great portion of the bandwidth isoccupied due to continuously providing information. Secondly, theconnection fee amounts to an extra cost.

As a matter of fact, the connection fee is not the most important issue.If the user has to be on-line anyway, the connection fee is sure to bepaid. Some unnecessary or useless information may be provided, whichmeans that the bandwidth and cost are wasted in vain.

Therefore, there is need in providing a GPS tracking system having atracking and positioning device that only sends an Internet protocol(IP) data and a verification data once when it is connected to theInternet, and sends a positioning data only when a position of thetracking and positioning device is to be shown on the positioningdisplay unit.

SUMMARY

It is one object of the present invention to save bandwidth and cost byproviding a GPS tracking system having a tracking and positioning devicethat only sends an Internet protocol (IP) data and a verification dataonce when it is connected to the Internet, and sends a positioning dataonly when a position of the tracking and positioning device is to beshown on the positioning display unit.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a GPS tracking system,comprising: a tracking and positioning device, capable of sending anInternet protocol data and a verification data; and a server, capable ofreceiving and storing the Internet protocol data and the verificationdata; wherein the tracking and positioning device only sends theInternet protocol data and the verification data once when the trackingand positioning device is connected to the Internet, the server inquiresand reads the Internet protocol data from a database when a positioningdisplay unit requests a positioning data from the server, and the serveris connected to the tracking and positioning device and requests thepositioning data from the tracking and positioning device and sends thepositioning data to the positioning display unit to show a position ofthe tracking and positioning device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiment of the present invention will be readily understood bythe accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing conventional data transmission;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a GPS tracking system according to oneembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing data transmission according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention can be exemplified but not limited by theembodiment as described hereinafter.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show a block diagram of a GPS tracking system and adiagram showing data transmission by the GPS tracking system accordingto one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG.3, the present invention provides a GPS tracking system, comprising: atracking and positioning device 1, capable of sending an Internetprotocol (IP) data and a verification data; and a server 2, capable ofreceiving and storing the Internet protocol (IP) data and theverification data. Preferably, the tracking and positioning device 1sends the Internet protocol data and the verification data to the server2 via a mobile web. The tracking and positioning device 1 only sends theInternet protocol data and the verification data to the server 2 oncewhen the tracking and positioning device 1 is connected to the Internet.Then, the server 2 inquires and reads the Internet protocol data from adatabase 21 when a positioning display unit 4 requests a positioningdata from the server 2. Then, the server 2 is connected to the trackingand positioning device 1 and requests the positioning data from thetracking and positioning device 1 and sends the positioning data to thepositioning display unit 4 to show a position of the tracking andpositioning device 1.

In one embodiment, the positioning display unit 1 requests thepositioning data from the server 2 via the Internet. To save the spacefor hardware implementation, the server 2 and the database 21 arepreferably installed inside a computer. Generally, when the server 2cannot be directly connected to the tracking and positioning device 1due to cross-domain security issues, a proxy server 22 is required.Accordingly, the server 2 is connected to the tracking and positioningdevice 1 via the proxy server 22 and requests the positioning data fromthe tracking and positioning device 1 via the proxy server 22.Similarly, the proxy server 22 can be installed inside a computer withthe server 2 and the database 21. Since the acquired positioning datamay be in a format of coordinate-based data, the GPS tracking system ofthe present invention preferably comprises a map server 6 to provide theserver 2 with a map so that the position of the tracking and positioningdevice 1 can be more readily identified by the user. As the positioningdata and the map are provided, the position of the tracking andpositioning device 1 can be clearly known.

It is thus obviously understood that the present invention provides aGPS tracking system having advantages over the priorart GPS trackingsystem as summarized herein:

Prior art The present invention Connection Sending positioning Sendingpositioning information at information if designated times necessaryReal-time Based on frequency Based on bandwidth information InformationPassive Active transmission Bandwidth Many Few requirementsConnectionFee Many Few

Accordingly, the present invention saves bandwidth and cost by providinga GPS tracking system having a tracking and positioning device that onlysends an Internet protocol (IP) data and a verification data once whenit is connected to the Internet, and sends a positioning data only whena position of the tracking and positioning device is to be shown on thepositioning display unit. Therefore, the present invention is useful,novel and non-obvious.

Although the present invention has been disclosed and illustrated withreference accelerometer to particular embodiments, the principlesinvolved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments that willbe apparent to persons skilled in the art. The present invention is,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A GPS tracking system, comprising: a tracking and positioning device,capable of sending an Internet protocol data and a verification data;and a server, capable of receiving and storing the Internet protocoldata and the verification data; wherein the tracking and positioningdevice only sends the Internet protocol data and the verification dataonce when the tracking and positioning device is connected to theInternet, the server inquires and reads the Internet protocol data froma database when a positioning display unit requests a positioning datafrom the server, and the server is connected to the tracking andpositioning device and requests the positioning data from the trackingand positioning device and sends the positioning data to the positioningdisplay unit to show a position of the tracking and positioning device.2. The GPS tracking system as recited in claim 1, further comprising aproxy server so that the server is connected to the tracking andpositioning device via the proxy server and requests the positioningdata from the tracking and positioning device via the proxy server. 3.The GPS tracking system as recited in claim 1, wherein the server andthe database are installed inside a computer.
 4. The GPS tracking systemas recited in claim 2, wherein the server, the database and the proxyserver are installed inside a computer.
 5. The GPS tracking system asrecited in claim 1, wherein the positioning display unit requests thepositioning data from the server via the Internet.
 6. The GPS trackingsystem as recited in claim 1, further comprising a map server capable ofproviding the server with a requested map.
 7. The GPS tracking system asrecited in claim 1, wherein the tracking and positioning device sendsthe Internet protocol data and the verification data to the server via amobile web.